The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2146, 23 March 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1870.

A ri'W days ago, wc considered a subject Which, as we think, is one of great importance to the Province, viz, : the appointment of a thoroughly suitable Home Emigration Agent. Everyone must allow that if it be granted that it is highly desirable that.the population of the Province should be increased by means of assisted immigration, it is also desirable that our immigrants should be of the best possible kind, and that the Home Emigration Agent should be a man capable of deciding for the interests of the Province which emigrants are suitable and which not—which should be assisted and which not. To-day we have to speak of a matter of far higher moment—the preservation of the population by means of sanitary regulations. The climate of Dunedin is, there can be no doubt, one of the very finest and healthiest in the world. Of course we grumble, like true Britons, whenever there is anything like a considerable spell of wet or cold weather ; but that we should probably do if we were set down, with our grumbling propensities unchanged, in the Garden of Paradise. In looking, however, at the annual register of the temperature, wind, number of hot,

wet, or snowy days, and more especially when comparing this register with that of any other country whatsoever, we cannot tail to be impressed with the belief that we are very highly favorable as regards climate. We find in fact that Dunedin is not a very wet place, nor a very dry one ; not a very cold place, nor a very hot one ; not a very still place, nor an extraordinary windy one. In fact we find that all the conditions necessary for rendering a place healthy are here present; while all or nearly all of those which tend to make a place unhealthy are absent. But of course, nans change runs tout celu. All this will never do. Our death rate is at present very low indeed, lower almost than in any place in the world, but if it please the powers of filth and ignorance, and neglect avg will soon screw it up to the proper pitch ] avg are not going be behind our neighbours. In the first place then avc find that there comes right up to the town a fine health"iving bay, along whose shores one may walk after his day’s Avork Avith immense advantage to himself in every Avay. Now this bay will not do at all. Where are our sick to come from I lodine and bromine are all Avell enough in their way, but those avlio Avant them may go to the Ocean Beach for them. We for on r parts prefer sulphuretted hydrogen and the kindred gases, and in order to provide ourselves Avith these in perfection, we make all our sewers without exception run into this bag. In a very short time there is no doubt that we shall have so far prepared a comfortable home for miasmata of various descriptions, that the toAvn Avill never be, as it is now, so absurdly free from all kinds of zymotic diseases. The locality is a \ r ery healthy one, but avc have no doubt that Ave shall be able to change its character very completely. Saying nothing of the trifling circumstance that the cemetery is very near the toAvn, avc may point out the admirable results that are likely to be obtained from the present frightfully inadequate school accommodation in Dunedin. Believing as avc do that the Dunedin schools are in other respects really admirable institutions, avc must deplore the lamentable deficiency just referred to. Any of our readers avlio has any doubt on this subject should visit any one of the schools referred to ; but as the Middle District School is the most crowded, he will there feel more forcibly the tiuth of Avhat we say. The time to visit the school and take the necessary observations is about two hours after the children have been called in. The only instruments required are a thermometer and one’s nose. To those avlio have visited the school, or may be about to visit it under the circumstances referred to, it is unnecessary to say anything ] but those persons avlio feel an interest in the subject but have not the time to go and see for themselves, may be told that the heat and the close oppressive smell are almost unbearable. What Avill be the result of this ? It will surely tell wonderfully on the future health of the community. We venture to predict that it Avill be found, that in Dunedin after a while, such complaints as phthisis, bronchitis, heart, and kidney diseases Avill be frightfully prevalent, Avhen probably the causes which have led to them, avc hope, shall have been quite forgotten, on account of the provision of suitable accommodation. It Avould thus appear that avc are in Dunedin, by two sets of means of a very simple character, laying in provision for an ample future stock of constitutional disease on the one hand, and zymotic diseases on the other. We have spoken very emphatically on these matters, if someAvhat ironically, believing as avc do, that too much stress cannot be laid on them. It is an important thing to get a constant supply of immigrants, it is still more important the health and lives of those avlio are already in the Province should not be squandered away.